Pope John Paul II
1920-2005
Informational Sites
updated 4/13/05		 Pope John Paul II's
Last Will & Testament		 Homily by
Cardinal Ratzinger		 Biography Books & Music How a Pope is chosen

Rome, Apr. 02 (CWNews.com) - Pope John Paul II  died late on Saturday night, April 2, ending one
of the longest and most influential pontificates in the history of the Catholic Church....(EWTN News)

 
The boy who would become Pope Pope as a Boy As a Young Man  

Parents

Karol Wojtyla and Emilia Kaczorowska Wojtyla

 Childhood in Poland

Karol Josef Wojtyla was born in Wadowice, Poland, on May 18, 1920, to a retired army officer and a school teacher. He studied literature and philosophy and later became a playwright and poet.

The boy who would become Pope

The future Pope John Paul II poses with a candle after receiving his First Communion in his home archidiocese of Krakow, Poland in this undated photograph

 

 Pope as a Boy

Karol Wojtyla, the future Pope Paul II, is seen at the age of 12 in Wadowice, Poland. 

 As a Young Man

A 19-year-old Karol Wojtyla, second from right, embraces an unidentified colleague during the construction of a military camp building in July 1939 in Western Ukraine, then eastern Poland.  

 

  
First Appearance as Pope Showing Solidarity  
A man of the cloth

Wojtyla secretly studied theology during the Nazi occupation of Poland. By age 36 he had two doctorates and was a professor of ethics. A cardinal at 47, he led the only moral and social force in Poland that could counter communism.		 The highest order

In October 1978, Wojtyla became the first Slavic pope ever and the first non-Italian pope in 455 years. He was elected to succeed John Paul I, who reigned only 34 days before dying of a heart attack at age 65.He took the name John Paul II.		 Showing Solidarity

Pope John Paul II wears traditional Polish dress during his first visit (June 1979) to his native country after acceding to the Papacy. The Pope was outspoken in his encouragement to the Polish people in their fight for freedom.		 1986:  Pope & Mother Teresa feed the sick

Mother Teresa said the Pope's touch was "the touch of Christ."

February 2, 2005